PacBio HiFi Technology Selected as Core Platform for South Korea's National Pangenome Project

Core Insights - PacBio's HiFi sequencing technology has been selected as the primary platform for the Korean Pangenome Reference Project, a significant initiative led by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the National Institute of Health [1][3] - The project aims to create the first large-scale, telomere-to-telomere quality reference genomes for the Korean population, contributing to the global Human Pangenome Reference Consortium [2][3] - This initiative is expected to enhance the understanding of population-specific genetic variants, improve insights into unexplained diseases, and support the development of precision diagnostics and therapies [2][3] Company Overview - PacBio is a leading life science technology company that specializes in advanced sequencing solutions, including HiFi long-read sequencing, addressing complex genetic problems across various research applications [5] - The company provides an integrated sequencing solution that combines accuracy, completeness, and resolution across DNA and RNA, marking the first national pangenome initiative to adopt its full technology suite [4][8] Project Details - The Korean Pangenome Project was announced on September 5, 2024, with a goal of sequencing more than 1,000 whole genomes, expanding from a pilot program that involved 200 researchers and academic participants [3] - The project will capture the unique genetic diversity of the Korean population and integrate this data into international reference standards, thereby advancing disease and evolutionary research [3][4]